The present invention relates to a computer communication technique, particularly useful for indicating to a network user to contact a host facility of the network.
Computers networks are known systems which are widely used. It is not an exaggeration to say that almost every personal computer (PC) is the node of at least one computer network. Methods of providing a network user with an automatic notification from the network server are also known and used especially for notifying a subscriber of the receipt of messages, addressed to the subscriber and which are stored in an electronic mail block of the server. To this end, a successful notification requires that the subscriber""s PC be continually connected to the network server, i.e. be in a so-called xe2x80x98on-linexe2x80x99 mode of operation.
A system of this kind is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,653. The system comprises a microprocessor and a random access memory connected to an electronic mail system for receiving data items which identify the queuing messages. The access memory is organized so as to form a file containing codes which identify predetermined addresses of subscribers to whom messages are to be sent and data items representing the telephone numbers of these addresses. The system also comprises a modem connected to a telephone line for extracting the telephone number data items from the file and automatically dialing the telephone numbers of the addresses in order to transmit call signals to the respective subscriber through the telephone line. The microprocessor reads the queuing file of the messages, detects the presence of the identification codes residing in the file for extracting from the file the telephone number data item corresponding to each identification code detected, and instructs the modem to dial automatically the corresponding call numbers. Thus, the addresses of received messages are notified immediately by telephone of the receipt of these messages and quickly receive the latter without the need for special stand-by.
It will be appreciated that such xe2x80x98on-linexe2x80x99 connection to the network server results in the following two limitations for the user:
1) telephone bill derived according to the call tariff and duration of the call;
2) the availability of the telephone line is compromised because most users do not have a dedicated computer phone line and are thus occupying the main home line during the connection. Moreover, in the case of such a network as so-called xe2x80x98INTERNETxe2x80x99 which is also known and widely used, an additional bill would be received from the Internet Service Provider, which bill is also derived from the respective call tariff and duration.
Another problem that exists today is the relatively complex set of operations a user has to perform to work on-line. Indeed, the user has to connect, operate the specific application to obtain the required information, and disconnect. All these operations are semi-manual in today""s popular home operation systems such as, for example, MS-Windows. Novice users regard the on-line processes such as, for example, checking mail as cumbersome and error prone because of the lines being busy or/and owing to slow responses times, etc. Even advanced users regard the on-line processes as a nuisance and try to automate them as much as possible, for example, by using scripts, automatic dialers, etc.
A system for mail notification has been developed and disclosed in European Patent Publication No. EP 0 736 989. The system comprises a host computer and subscriber computers, wherein the subscriber computers are not connected to each other and/or the host computer. Messages are sent from a xe2x80x98senderxe2x80x99 subscriber to a xe2x80x98recipientxe2x80x99 subscriber via the host computer which is adapted for storing mail addressed to subscribers in individual mail boxes. The host computer is adapted for calling a phone associated with the recipient subscriber through a dialing unit whenever a new message arrives at the host computer. The dialing unit is connected through a telephone line, or a public telephone network to a receiving unit located at the recipient""s side. The receiving unit is a specific hardware unit which is either stand alone, or a constructional part of the recipient""s PC. Even in such a case That the recipient himself directly contacts the dialing unit through a conventional modem coupled to or installed in his PC, a notification arrives all the same to the receiving unit. More specifically, a notification enters a call intercept unit which is integral with the receiving unit. The receiving unit identifies that the phone call has been sent by the dialing unit of the host computer. A dedicated display device must be associated with the receiving unit for indicating to the subscriber that a notification has been received. It is thus evident that the disclosed system requires, in addition to specific hardware accommodated at the host computer""s side, the provision of additional hardware at each subscriber""s side.
Additionally, it is often the case that a subscriber, even being in a so-called xe2x80x98off-linexe2x80x99 mode of operation needs to be automatically informed that the network server has been updated with a specific information of internet to the subscriber since his/her last connection. This information may be supplied to the network server by either another subscriber or specific data base commonly connected to the server. Alternatively, the case may be such that one subscriber needs to be connected to another subscriber through one or more network servers. In this case, the other subscriber, who may not be currently connected xe2x80x98on-linexe2x80x99 to the associated server should be informed that the specific subscriber desires to contact him.
It is thus a major object of the present invention to overcome the above listed and other disadvantages of the conventional systems and provide a method and a system for off-line indicating to the subscriber of a network to contact the network host facility.
There is thus provided according to a broad aspect of the present invention a system for indicating to the subscriber of a network, which subscriber is not continually connected to the network host facility, of the existence of a reason for initiating such a connection, the system comprising:
(a) a computer device connected to said host facility and adapted for generating an indication signal addressed to said subscriber;
(b) a system modem interconnected between a telephone communication link and said computer device so as to be responsive to said indication signal for generating an outgoing call and transmitting thereof to a subscriber modem associated with said subscriber; and
(c) a counter means associated with at least one of the modems and responsive to said outgoing call for disabling said one modem after a predetermined period of time.
The indication signal is representative of the existence in the host facility of a predetermined data addressed to the subscriber. The predetermined data may be a message generated by another subscriber of either the same network or any other network having its host facility connected to said host facility. The predetermined data may be a message generated by the host facility in accordance with the network protocol associated with the subscriber.
The system modem comprises an identification means for identifying the subscriber. The system modem, preferably, comprises a plurality of modems and a multichannel communication port so as to be adapted for an automatic call distribution.
The subscriber comprises at least one personal computer having software for executing an additional protocol between the personal computer and the computer device. The subscriber modem may be responsive to the outgoing call for generating an incoming call and transmitting thereof to the subscriber. The subscriber modem may also comprise an identification means for identifying the computer device.
The counter means may be associated with the subscriber and responsive to the incoming call for operating the subscriber modem for transmitting the incoming call during a predetermined period of time. The counter means associated with the subscriber may be responsive to an outgoing call generated by the subscriber modem for detecting whether or not the subscriber modem received the outgoing call generated by the system modem within a predetermined period of time.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for indicating to the subscriber of a network, which subscriber is not continually connected to the network host facility, of the existence of a reason for initiating such a connection by means of a system interconnected between said host facility and a subscriber unit associated with said subscriber, the method comprising the steps of: at said subscriber unit:
(i) generating an inquiry signal addressed to said host facility; and
(ii) providing an outgoing call indicative of an existence of said inquiry signal;
at the system:
(iii) receiving said outgoing call and identifying said subscriber unit;
(iv) upon successful identification, connecting with the host facility for detecting whether or not there exists in said host facility data associated with said inquiry signal of said subscriber;
(v) upon detecting the existence of said data, providing an indication signal addressed to the subscriber.
Preferably, the outgoing call provided by the subscriber unit is transmitted during a predetermined period of time.
The method may also comprise the step of receiving by the subscriber unit an incoming call from the system within a predetermined period of time, and providing an indication thereof to the subscriber.
The step of providing the indication signal may comprise the steps of: at the system
generating an outgoing call and transmitting to the subscriber; and
disabling the outgoing call after a predetermined period of time which is insufficiently long to allow a connection to be effected between the host facility and the subscriber unit.
The method may further comprise the step of: at the subscriber
upon receiving the outgoing call from the system within a predetermined period of time, providing an indication thereof to the subscriber.
According to still another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for indicating to the subscriber of a network, which subscriber is not continually connected to the network host facility, of the existence of a reason for initiating such a connection by means of a system interconnected between said host facility and a subscriber unit associated with said subscriber, the method comprising the steps of:
at said system:
(1) periodically initiating a contact with the host facility for detecting whether or not there exists in the host facility a predetermined data addressed to the subscriber unit, and
(2) upon detecting the existence of the data generating an outgoing call addressed to the subscriber unit;
(3) transmitting said outgoing call to the subscriber unit; and
(4) disabling said outgoing call after a predetermined period of time which is insufficiently long to allow a connection to be effected between the host facility and the subscriber unit at the subscriber unit:
(5) receiving said outgoing call by said subscriber unit and identifying said system; and
(6) upon successful identification, generating a respective incoming call and transmitting thereof to the subscriber unit.
More specifically the present invention is used with the xe2x80x9cINTERNETxe2x80x9d and is, therefore, described further below with respect to this application.